Auxiliary spring mechanism for trucks



Oct. 18, 1932. lN 1,883,385

AUXILIARY SPRING MECHANISM FOR TRUCKS Original Filed May 11. 1928 I glwoentoe IIIIIIIIIA Patented Oct. '18, 1932 UNITED STATES ,PATEN'IT OFFICE mm: H. mm, 01' READING-,IENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB .20 El. H. SYEITGI'OF &

SON, INQ, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND AUXILIARY SDI BING- MEGHANIQH FOB TRUCKS Original application filed Kay 11, 18.28, Serial No. 277,081. Divided and. this application fled Kay 87,

' 1929. Serial No. 868,376.

The invention relates to railway trucks and has special reference to the spring means for supporting the load, the present application being a division of my co-pending application for patent for auxiliary spring mechanism for trucks, which application was filed May 11, 1928 and given Serial No. 277,081.

The principal object of the invention, generally stated, is to provide means operating in series with the usual truck springs provided for supporting the bolster,

the auxiliary springs acting not only to increase the general spring travel but also serving to maintain the side bearings of the truck and body bolsters in engagement at all times. particularly designed for use in connectlon with installation or equipment of that type wherein the load is sustained either entirely, partly or occasionally by side bearings,

the auxiliary spring means materially assisting in holding the light wheel or wheels in contact with the rail when the car is rocked violently as for example when entering upon or'leaving curved track, the effect being really the equivalent of adding dead weight to the side of the truck upon which there is a tendency for the wheels to unload. p

A more specific object ofthe invention is to provide auxiliary spring means of this character which may be located within the side frame beneath the spring plank and co- 4 operating with the underside of the bottom spring cap and therefore acting in series with t eusual'springs.

A further object of the "invention is the provision of spring means of-this character so mounted and arranged as to be free from changing strainsunder normal load conditions and prevented from ever going solid with the resultant advantage that along life will be assured.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a s ring means of this character which will e simple and inexpensive to manufacture and install, positive in action,

im rovement inlthe art. v

o the attainment of the foregoing and auxiliary spring eflicient and durable in service, and a general of the preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a vertical cross section through one side of a truck, the bolster and spring nest being shown in elevation,

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a similar view omitting the side frame and illustrating the employment of a plurality of auxiliary springs, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view through one end of the spring plankand a portion of the side frame and illustrating a modified spring plank structure.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the numeral 1 designates a truck side frame of an ordinary or preferred type havin a' win ow opening 2 therein through which extends the end portion 3 of the truck bolster 4, a nest of coil springs indicated as a whole by the numeral 5 being interposed between the underside of the bolster and the spring plank 6 which is likewise mounted within the window opening. Spring nests such as that referred to at 5 generally comprise four or more helical sprin s 7 symmetrically grouped and arrange between spring caps 8 and 9. Ordinarily such caps may be duplicates but in the present instance some modification is necessary to carry out the invention. The; caps are represented as having punched-out bosses 10 fitting withiii the ends of the springs for retaining them in proper position and preventing displacement.

In carrying out the invention I providean auxiliary spring means within the side frame beneath the window opening therein so that it will cooperate with the bottom cap of the spring nest and operate in series with the truck springs. The side frame is of ordinary type and, as is well truss portion 11 which is hollow. I propose to enclose the auxiliary spring means, which may be a coil 12, within this hollow portion necessary to provide registering openings 13 and 14: in the side frame and spring plank,

side frame and it therefore becomes known, has a depending tion illustrating to the truck. In this respectively, for the accommodation of the auxiliary spring so that the upper end thereof will pro'ect through and eng against the undersi e of the bottom cap 8.. or properly centerin the auxiliary s ring it is preferable that the bottom cap 8 formed centrally with an out-punched downwardly extending boss 15, or some other equivalent means, entering the upper end of the spring. ne auxiliary spring 12 may beused and arranged centrally as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or a lurality, indicated at 16 in Figure 3, may provided suitably symmetrically arranged with respect to the springs in the nest, there being no special limitation in this res t.

I n Figure 4 I have shown a slight modificaspring plankJ is not riveted to the side frame as in Figure 1, but is formed near itsend with a downwardly punched boss 18 fitting within an opening 19 in'the seat portion of the side frame, this boss cooperating with the wall of the opening or openings corresponding to the opening 13 in Fi re 1, this cooperation preventing shifting o t plank with respect to the side frames. The auxiliary spring means 12 of Figure 1 or 16 of Figure 3 would of course accommodatedm the hollow truss portion e in exactly the same manner as in Figure 1 as this auxiliary means would extend through the boss 18 for cooperation with the truck spring nest.

In both forms of the invention the auxiliary spring or springs will be compressed under t e hght car until the spring caps on the nests of truck springs engage upon the spring plank and against the bolster. In this posltion or under these conditions the static load on the auxilia spring or springs is slightly less than the hght weight of the car on the truck springs. The load on the auxiliary spring or springs should compress them an appreciable amounihsaay one inch, to compensate and maintain side bearing elements, not shown, in contact with the coacting depending bearing elements on the body bolster as there is a tendency for these surfaces to move out of contact. The invention is therefore well adapted for use in installations where there are side bearing rollers or rockers on the truck bolster cooperatin with depending bearingelements on theiody bolto permit laty b0 ster with respect respect the general features and principles involved in the resent application are similar to what is em 'ed in the co-pendin "application of Percy R. Drenning, filed ovember 12th, 1927, Serial No. 232,859 wherein are star the parts. bein arran eral motion of the od cooperat' with the spring caps. At the a structure wherein the.-

he spring.

of the side taining auxiliary helical sprin disclosed auxiliary, springs located within the truck bolster and the spring solid and therefore the stress. can

be kept reasonably low. As the working of the auxiliary springs should be indefinite. In case the auxilia springs are provided in an installation of the w rigid type or where the load is sustained on the center .bearings with a nominal clearance at the side bearings, the action will be substantially the same as the auxiliary springs will operate to act against an tendency of the wheels to unload at one si e or the other of the truck as for example when the car enters upon or leaves curved track, or develops, from any cause, a violent tendenc to rock. In such an instance the auxilia springs will .act substantially as additional dead weight applied to the light'side.

In addltion to the foregoing advantages it may be pointed out that as the auxiliary springs are preferably lighter than the truck springs they will act more quickl and .will be capable of takin and jars or jiggle inci ent to car travel. It may also be mentioned that the auxiliary springs can be compressed to only. a limited extent overned-by the engagement of the .to or ottom spring caps with-the undersi e of the bolster and the spring plank respectively. A solid condition. with resultant excessive fiber and other strains-will .be consequently avoided. Moreover it is conceivable that under some circumstances the difference in the period of vibration of the truck and auxiliary springs will break up chronism and assist in preventing the evelopment of car roll or side sway. From is infrequent their life up. small s 'o'cks ioo the foregoing it is believed'that the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art with out further explanation.

e I have shown and described preferred embodiments should be understood that the disclosure is merely an exemplification of the principles involved asthe right is reserved to make all such changes in the details of construction as will widen the field' of utilty and increase the adaptability of the device provided such changes constitute no departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

lIlIaving thus described the-invention, I 0 am:

of the invention, it I 1. In a railway car truck, a side frame having .a seat for truck springs and. formed beneath said seat with a hollow portion conmeans adaptedto cooperate with the true springs and in series therewith, said auxiliary spring means serving to center the truck springs.

2. In a railway car truck, a side frame having a-window open' g therein, truck spr ngs within the window opening, a truck bolster having its end supportedupon said truck springs, the side frame having a hollow dehaving a window opening therein,

pending truss portion beneath the seat and having its seat formed with an opening leading into the hollow truss portion, and an auxiliary helical spring located within said hollow portion and projecting through-said opening to operate in series with the truck springs, and means whereby the auxiliary spring will retain the truck springs against lateral displacement in any direction.

3. In a railway car truck, a side frame a truck bolster having its end extending through the window opening, a nest of truck springs within the window opening for supporting the truck bolster, said nest of springs including top and bottom caps, an auxiliary spring confined within the side frame beneath and directly abuttingly engaging the bottom spring cap, and means on the bottom spring cap cooperating with the auxiliary spring to prevent lateral displacement of the nest.

4. In an railway car truck, a side frame having a window openlng therein, a truck bolster having its end extending through the window opening, a nest of truck springs within the window opening for supporting the truck bolster, said nest of springs including top and bottom caps, an auxiliary spring mounted beneath the nest and acting in series therewith, the bottom spring cap having a depending boss engaged within the upper end of the auxiliary spring.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MARK H. MARTIN. 

